Weight Distribution Hitch with Pivoting Latch

ABSTRACT

A weight distribution hitch system comprising a vehicle attachment member comprising a forward end configured to rigidly attach to a vehicle, and a rearward end extending rearwardly toward a trailer, the rearward end comprising an upper portion comprising a trailer attachment member configured to pivotally attach to a coupler of the trailer, and a lower portion configured to receive a moment bar; a moment bar having a modulus of elasticity, the moment bar comprising a moment bar forward end attached to the lower portion of the rearward end of the vehicle attachment member so as to prevent rotation about a horizontal axis, and a moment bar rearward end; a releasable tension member comprising a top portion configured to be pivotally supported by a frame member of the trailer and configured to pivot about a horizontal axis, and a bottom portion configured to support the rearward end of the moment bar; and a moment bar preload mechanism configured to push up the moment bar rearward end to thereby preload the moment bar; wherein, when the moment bar rearward end has been preloaded, the releasable tension member can be pivoted between a first angular position and a second angular position below the preloaded moment bar; wherein, when the tension member is in tension, it imposes an upward force on the moment bar rearward end, which, in turn, imposes a forward moment on the vehicle is disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 63/070,258 titled “WeightDistribution Hitch with Pivoting Latch” filed on 25 Aug. 2020, whichdisclosure is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to trailer hitches. More particularly, itrelates to trailer hitches equipped with weight distribution systems.

BACKGROUND

A typical trailer hitch connects to a vehicle near its rear bumper. Whenthe trailer is connected, the downward load from the trailer tongue onthe hitch can cause the vehicle to squat, putting extra load on the rearaxle and lessening the load on the front axle. This can reduce thetraction of the front tires and can cause the headlights to pointupward. Equalizer hitches can prevent these problems by using springbars to exert a moment on the vehicle, which shifts the resulting loadof the trailer tongue toward the center of the vehicle, eliminating thesquat. However, equalizer hitches require tedious setup and are noteasily adjusted. Changes to the tow vehicle, the trailer, or the loadcarried by the trailer may require readjustment. These adjustments taketime and may require special tools. Because of this, users may eitherfail to adjust or adjust incorrectly. Accordingly, a hitch that iseasier to set up and adjust is desirable.

One hazard associated with towing heavy loads is sway, also known asfishtailing. Trailer sway occurs when lateral forces develop causing thetrailer to move side to side. Sway is a major cause of accidents. Animproved sway control hitch system that is effective and easy to setupand use is needed.

SUMMARY

In a first aspect, the disclosure provides a weight distribution hitchsystem comprising a vehicle attachment member comprising a forward endconfigured to rigidly attach to a vehicle, and a rearward end extendingrearwardly toward a trailer, the rearward end comprising an upperportion comprising a trailer attachment member configured to pivotallyattach to a coupler of the trailer, and a lower portion configured toreceive a moment bar; a moment bar having a modulus of elasticity, themoment bar comprising a moment bar forward end attached to the lowerportion of the rearward end of the vehicle attachment member so as toprevent rotation about a horizontal axis, and a moment bar rearward end;a releasable tension member comprising a top portion configured to bepivotally supported by a frame member of the trailer and configured topivot about a horizontal axis, and a bottom portion configured tosupport the rearward end of the moment bar; and a moment bar preloadmechanism configured to push up the moment bar rearward end to therebypreload the moment bar; wherein, when the moment bar rearward end hasbeen preloaded, the releasable tension member can be pivoted between afirst angular position and a second angular position below the preloadedmoment bar; wherein, when the tension member is in tension, it imposesan upward force on the moment bar rearward end, which, in turn, imposesa forward moment on the vehicle.

Further aspects and embodiments are provided in the foregoing drawings,detailed description, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings are provided to illustrate certain embodimentsdescribed herein. The drawings are merely illustrative and are notintended to limit the scope of claimed inventions and are not intendedto show every potential feature or embodiment of the claimed inventions.The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale; in some instances,certain elements of the drawing may be enlarged with respect to otherelements of the drawing for purposes of illustration.

FIG. 1A is a side elevation of a first embodiment of a weightdistribution hitch in an unloaded position according to the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 1B is a side elevation of the first embodiment with the moment barraised.

FIG. 1C is a side elevation view of the first embodiment with the barraised and latched in place.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first embodiment.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are side views of a prior art weight distribution hitchin the prior art, illustrating a change in displacement of the momentbars.

FIG. 4 is perspective view of a prior art weight distribution hitchresponding to a turn.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a second embodiment of a weight distributionhitch according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a barrelcoupling according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 7B is a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 7C is a side cross-sectional view along line A-A in FIG. 7B of theembodiment of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 7D is a bottom view of the embodiment of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 7E is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 8 is a side perspective views of a second exemplary embodiment of aweight distribution hitch having a moment bar with an aperture accordingto the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a side perspective view of the second embodiment.

FIGS. 10A-10D are side views of an embodiment of a bent moment baraccording to the present disclosure attached to a weight distributionhitch in four different configurations.

FIGS. 11A and 11B are side views of a third embodiment of a weightdistribution hitch with a spring according to the present disclosure.

FIGS. 12A and 12B are side views of a fourth embodiment of a weightdistribution hitch with a spring according to the present disclosure.

FIGS. 13A and 13B are side views of a fifth embodiment of a weightdistribution hitch with a spring according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a graph showing both force and moment because of deflectionof traditional moment bars.

FIG. 15 is a graph showing both force and moment because of deflectionof compliant moment bars.

FIG. 16 is a graph showing moment over time comparing a traditionalweight distribution hitch vs. one with a composite moment bar.

FIG. 17 is a side view of a truck with a prior art weight distributionhitch on flat ground.

FIG. 18 is a side view of a truck with a prior art weight distributionhitch on uneven ground.

FIG. 19 is a graph showing moment over time comparing a traditionalweight distribution hitch vs. one with a composite moment bar.

FIGS. 20A-20C are side perspective views of a sixth embodiments of aweight distribution hitch according to the present disclosureillustrating additional load bars.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Definitions

The following terms and phrases have the meanings indicated below,unless otherwise provided herein. This disclosure may employ other termsand phrases not expressly defined herein. Such other terms and phrasesshall have the meanings that they would possess within the context ofthis disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art. In someinstances, a term or phrase may be defined in the singular or plural. Insuch instances, it is understood that any term in the singular mayinclude its plural counterpart and vice versa, unless expresslyindicated to the contrary.

As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include pluralreferents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example,reference to “a substituent” encompasses a single substituent as well astwo or more substituents, and the like.

As used herein, “for example,” “for instance,” “such as,” or “including”are meant to introduce examples that further clarify more generalsubject matter. Unless otherwise expressly indicated, such examples areprovided only as an aid for understanding embodiments illustrated in thepresent disclosure and are not meant to be limiting in any fashion. Nordo these phrases indicate any kind of preference for the disclosedembodiment.

As used herein, “hitch” is intended to have a broad meaning, referringto the hardware connecting a vehicle to a trailer including but notlimited to a hitch receiver, a hitch shank, a hitch extension, a hitchhead, a ball mount, a ball, and spring bars or moment bars, as contextrequires. It may also be used more specifically to refer to the piecethat mounts underneath the vehicle, typically with bolts or welding, andcontains the receiving hole for the hitch shank, as context requires.

As used herein, “shank,” or “hitch shank,” refers to the piece of thesystem which generally slides into a hitch receiver and extends toward atrailer. In some cases, a shank is also the ball mount.

As used herein, “head,” or “hitch head,” refers to the piece of thesystem generally found between a shank and a hitch ball. In some cases,a hitch head also receives moment bars.

As used herein, “forward” means toward the front of a vehicle, or thedirection a vehicle travels when it is in drive and the steering wheelis in a neutral position. It also may refer to a portion of an objectthat faces that direction.

As used herein, “rearward” means the direction a car travels when it isin reverse and the steering wheel is in a neutral position. It also mayrefer to a portion of an object that faces that direction.

As used herein, “longitudinal axis” in the context of a vehicle/trailersystem, is defined by a line extending from the front of a vehicle tothe rear of the vehicle, through the centerline of the vehicle, andparallel to the ground. In the context of a single body, it may refer tothe axis which goes through the center of the longest dimension of thatbody.

As used herein, “lateral axis” is orthogonal to the longitudinal axisand parallel to the ground.

As used herein, “vertical axis” is orthogonal to both the longitudinalaxis and the lateral axis, or, in other words, straight up and down.Vertical axis may also apply to an axis which is not exactly straight upand down but is less than 15 degrees off.

As used herein, “centerplane” refers to a vertical plane on thecenterline of a vehicle or trailer from front to back.

As used herein, “forward moment” means a twisting force that would tendto tilt the front of a vehicle down and the rear of the vehicle up.

As used herein, “moment bar,” synonymous with “spring bar,” refers to anelongated member that translates a force into a moment on the vehicle.

As used herein, “attachment member” means the component of a weightdistribution hitch on the vehicle side that mounts to the finalconnecting pieces which attach to the trailer, typically the ball mountor hitch head.

As used herein, “kinematic link” or “kinematic linkage” refers to aresistant body that constitutes part of the machine, connecting otherparts which have motion relative to it, containing multiple jointsconnecting parts that move relative to each other.

As used herein, “effective pivot point” or “effective point of rotation”and similar phrases refer to a hypothetical fixed point of rotation thatwould achieve the same rotational effect as the kinematic linkage. Theeffective pivot point of a system may vary as the angle between thetrailer and tow vehicle changes. The location of the effective pivotpoint is defined by its distance from the hitch ball.

Exemplary Embodiments

The present disclosure relates to hitch systems. More particularly, itrelates to sway control and weight distribution hitch systems that canbe easier to attach and adjust, safer to operate, provide improved swaycontrol, and/or dampen porpoising among other improvements.

Conventional trailer hitches typically consist of a ball/couplerarrangement, wherein a ball is attached to a tow vehicle, the coupler isattached to a trailer, and the ball fits inside the coupler to create apivotal connection. This arrangement allows forces to be transferredbetween the vehicle and the trailer in the longitudinal, lateral, andvertical directions but does not allow any moments to be transferred.One problem with this arrangement is that the downward force from thecoupler to the ball can overload the rear axle of the vehicle, causingit to squat. This takes weight off the front wheels, which can causesteering and/or braking issues and can also angle the headlights upward.

One way to prevent this is to use a weight distribution trailer hitchthat can transfer a moment between the trailer and vehicle. A negativemoment in the lateral direction, or a “forward moment,” takes a load offthe rear axle of the vehicle and distributes it to the front axle. Thisreduces the squat of the vehicle.

However, typical weight distribution hitches can be tedious to hook upand adjust. They involve many connections including multiple steps ateach connection and even raising and lowering the trailer multipletimes. Standard weight distribution hitches have two spring bars thatextend from the back of the vehicle along the frame of the trailer.These bars are used to create a forward moment on the hitch thatdistributes the weight toward the vehicle's front tires. In order to dothat, they are attached to the frame of the trailer under extremestress, typically with chains. The length of the chains and/or the angleof the ball mount of the hitch must be adjusted so, when the trailer isconnected, the correct moment is applied. To verify it is correct,measurements must be taken and compared to the system in an unloadedstate. This is typically the distance between the front bumper and theground. The adjustment step cannot be performed while the weightdistribution hitch is connected, so everything must be disconnected eachtime an adjustment must be made in a tedious trial and error process.This can be often if items are being added or removed from the trailer,the vehicle, or additional trailers in a double-tow scenario.Additionally, the user typically steps over the hitch many times duringeach setup, which can be hazardous.

Additionally, common weight distribution hitches can face a ubiquitousproblem, they are designed for flat ground. They use long moment bars,usually made of a fairly stiff material such as steel, which impose amoment on the vehicle based on the geometry at the time the bars areconnected. If the geometry changes, such as driving over a hill, througha trough, and especially over bumps, the moment can change drastically.In fact, it can go from one extreme to another in an instant. If themoment is too great, it can pick the rear wheels of the vehicle off theground creating a very dangerous situation. Conversely, it can also bedangerous if the moment drops to zero or below, such as when a vehiclegoes over a sharp hill or bump, because the tension in the weightdistribution system goes to zero. These momentary changes in the anglebetween the vehicle and the trailer caused by bumps, hills or dips arecommon occurrences, especially for vehicles traveling off road, such asfarmers and ranchers pulling heavy machinery and vacationers pulling acamper. What is needed is a weight distribution hitch which allows forgreater changes in road geometry while maintaining a proper and morestable moment on the vehicle.

The preferred embodiment of the disclosed system greatly reduces thecomplexity of the setup and adjustment process by reducing the number ofparts, simplifying the connection process, allowing adjustments to bemade without disconnecting any brackets or couplers, and by allowing auser to complete the setup on a single side of the hitch. Further,adjustments can be made without raising and lowering the trailermultiple times. Because there are no chains or chain brackets, there arefewer parts resulting in cost savings. Costs can be further reducedbecause many of the remaining parts can be smaller, such as the momentbar and the attachment member. The preferred embodiment can also improvesafety by allowing the entire process to be completed on one side of thetrailer.

The disclosed system is useful on many types of connections between avehicle and a trailer where the trailer imposes a downward force on therear of the vehicle, such as a ball and coupler hitch or a pintle hitch.In the preferred embodiment, a vehicle has a rear mounted hitch with aball, and a trailer has a frame mounted coupler which latches onto theball. In one embodiment, a hitch shank and/or a ball mount has holes ina vertical row allowing the ball to be adjustable relative to theground. In other embodiments, the ball may be adjustable relative to theground with other adjustable mechanisms, or it may be fixed. In oneembodiment, pins or bolts may be used connect the ball mount to thehitch shank.

In a preferred embodiment, the moment bars extend from the attachmentmember rearward toward the trailer. In one embodiment, the moment bar isconnected to the lower rear portion of the ball mount such that it mayimpose a moment on the vehicle about a lateral axis. The moment bar maybe hingedly connected to the ball mount about a vertical axis so it canrotate side to side as the vehicle goes around corners.

In one embodiment, the hinged moment bar connection may also serve assway control for the trailer. Rather than rotating freely, the hingedconnection with the hitch ball may be resistive to being rotated, forexample by promoting friction between the moment bar and the ball mount.Steel on steel is ideal in some applications of the invention because ofits high coefficient of friction, but it comes with the drawback ofcorroding. Passive materials, which are less corrosive, such as brass,bronze, brake pad materials, and stainless steel, also may be used. Manyof those materials, however, have less friction than steel. Someembodiments include replaceable wear plates, which allow a user toreplace them if they become too worn.

The rearward ends of the moment bars are configured to receive an upwardforce. Because the forward end is fixed on a vertical axis, the upwardforce on the rearward end creates a moment on the attachment member. Inone embodiment of the invention, the force is created by a liftingmechanism which is secured to the frame of the trailer.

One embodiment includes a weight distribution hitch that can preventthese problems by changing the weight distribution as the vehicletravels over uneven ground. In one embodiment, a load sensor indicates achange in load as the vehicle and the trailer are on uneven ground. Theload sensor may communicate wirelessly with a control unit, such as aphone or built-in processor, which may communicate with the motor on thejack to adjust accordingly. When the trailer is going over a bump orhill, the load sensor will communicate a decreased tension on the jackto the control unit which will communicate to the motor to increasetension on the jack, which will help keep the vehicle pointed level, andvice versa. Then, when the vehicle returns to flat ground, the sensorwill communicate an increased tension which will result in the controlunit reducing the tension in the jack to normal, and vice versa.

Moment bars are typically connected to the hitch of a vehicle at aportion of the hitch located below the ball. This process may be timeconsuming and involve multiple connections. In some instances, momentbars are not removable from the hitch and remain attached to the vehicleas long as the hitch is attached. This makes the hitch very heavy,unsightly, and also creates a potential hazard for people walking nearthe rear end of the vehicle, particularly when the vehicle is notattached to the trailer, who may not see the moment bars protruding fromthe hitch. One embodiment creates an easy to connect and disconnectmoment bar apparatus to alleviate these problems.

Compliant Moment Bars

As discussed above, traditional moment bars, even though they aresometimes referred to as “spring bars,” create a fairly rigid connectionbetween the vehicle and the trailer. Further, they are designed to beset up and used on level ground (i.e., where the frame of the vehicleand the frame of the trailer are substantially parallel). Changing thegeometry of the setup, (e.g., the angle between the frame of the vehicleand the frame of the trailer) after the setup is complete, could causehuge variations in the supplied moment to the hitch. This could be verydangerous. Many times, users will have to disconnect the weightdistribution system before they travel over rough terrain, such as whena vacationer pulls a camping trailer on a rocky forest trail.

If a moment bar is more compliant or flexible than traditional steelbars, the connection will be safer, smoother, and more versatile. Itwill alleviate the need to disconnect when going over rough terrain(i.e., being subject to momentary changes in the angle between thevehicle and the trailer). It will prevent any of the vehicle wheels fromlosing traction by being lifted up by the weight distribution hitchduring sharp changes in the road. Further, it will dampen the moment,otherwise induced in the vehicle, by preventing bumps in the road fromtranslating from the trailer through the hitch to the vehicle.

Limitations in typical moment bars are that they are generally made ofsteel and are very stiff. They have a small “green zone,” which is tosay they have a small range of tongue weights for which they aresuitable in a given position. If the tongue weight changes outside thegreen zone, they need to be adjusted. If they run out of adjustmentroom, they need to be exchanged for a different sized moment bar. Thegreen zone may be increased by changing to a material that is moreflexible than steel. Materials such as fiber reinforced polymers may bemore flexible than steel and require less adjusting. The more flexible amaterial is, the less adjustment is needed. If a material is flexibleenough, it may make the green zone big enough that no adjustment isneeded for specific applications of the hitch.

For traditional steel moment bars, each adjustment increment iscontrolled by the tension mechanism holding it up, which is typically achain or an adjustable bracket or something else. For a chain, theadjustment increment is the length of each chain link. For an adjustablebracket, the adjustment zone is the distance between bolt holes, whichmay be an inch or less. The total adjustment zone is the total amount oflinks the steel bars may span, or the total distance between the topadjustment bolt hole and the bottom adjustment bolt hole. The presentinvention allows for larger adjustment increments because the momentbars are more compliant, and because they have a larger green zone, asdiscussed above. The larger the adjustment increments, the less thesystem needs to be adjusted. In one embodiment of the invention, theadjustment increments are greater than two inches. In another embodimentof the invention, the adjustment increment is greater than three inches.In yet an additional embodiment, there is no adjustment incrementbecause the range of deflection of the moment bar is so great that itcovers the needed range for a user.

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP), sometimes called fiber-reinforcedplastic, although plastic is a subset of polymer, is a compositematerial made of a matrix of polymer with one or more reinforcing fibersof a different material. The fibers are commonly glass or carbon but canbe many other materials based on the desired properties, such as aramidor other synthetic fibers or paper and other natural fibers. The polymermatrix can also be made from a variety of materials, includingpolyesters, vinyl esters, epoxies, or other synthetic polymers, or fromnaturally occurring polymers such as shellac or rubber. FRP contains thebest properties of the polymer, such as corrosion resistance,flexibility, and manufacturability, with the best properties of thefiber, such as stiffness and strength, to make a composite that hasproperties a single material typically does not have. As such, its usesspan many industries, such as marine, aerospace, tools, automotive, andconstruction.

The most common fiber used in FRP is fiberglass, which uses one of manyglasses as the fiber in the polymer matrix. Common glass fibers areA-glass, which is widely available and inexpensive, C-glass, known forchemical resistance, E-glass, widely used because of its balance betweenperformance and cost, ECR-glass, known for acid corrosion resistance,R-, S-, or T-glass, which are different trade names for the samematerial, known for having a higher tensile strength. There are manyother glass fibers, some of which have a general purpose and others thatare used for very specific purposes, such as AR-glass, which is usefulin concrete applications because of its resistance to alkali. Inaddition to the different materials, glass fibers are also categorizedby their form. Some common forms are veil mats, which are continuousstrands of fibers in thin piles, woven fabrics, which are oriented intwo directions, and chopped strand mats which are arranged randomly.

Another common FRP is carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP). CFRP alsocontain many variations in structure and properties, although most arestronger but less flexible than fiberglass. CFRP is also usually lighterthan fiberglass. CFRP is generally more expensive than fiberglass,however, its cost has been decreasing as its use in industry becomesmore prevalent.

Basalt reinforced polymers are relatively new compared to fiberglass butshow some advantages. Its flexibility is comparable to fiberglass whilebeing stronger and having better impact resistance. It is more expensivethan the widely used E-glass but less expensive than others, such asS-glass, and its price continues to fall as the industry is developed,which will make it a strong candidate for use in the present invention.

FRP presents many benefits over materials traditionally used for momentbars. In fact, moment bars are predominately made from steel, which is arelatively stiff material, and may suffer from corrosion and fatigue.FRPs are much more compliant, or flexible, which offers many benefits ina moment bar application. FRPs have been shown to have high fatiguestrength in the direction of the fibers. Compliancy reduces the amountof jolt a rider may feel when a trailer goes over a bump. It alsoprovides benefits concerning adjustment, such as increasing the usefuldistance between adjustment levels. In fact, in some embodiments of theinvention, the useful range of deflection is so big that no adjustmentis needed.

Compliancy or flexibility of the moment bar may be determined by themodulus of elasticity of the material or the flexural modulus of thematerial. The modulus of elasticity, or Young's modulus, is theresistance of a material to being deformed. The modulus of elasticity ofa typical steel is 29,000 ksi (thousand pounds per square inch). Bycontrast, the modulus of elasticity of a typical fiberglass reinforcedpolymer ranges from around 10,000 ksi to 15,000 ksi. It can varyconsiderably depending on the materials and size and disposition of thefibers. Carbon fiber reinforced plastics commonly have a modulus ofelasticity between 14,000 ksi and 85,000 ksi, although that may bereduced for more flexible applications. Preferably, the modulus ofelasticity of the moment bars is less than 15,000 ksi. Even morepreferably, the modulus of elasticity of the moment bars is less than13,000 ksi. The flexural modulus is similar to the modulus of elasticitybut is more specific to bending. FIG. 19 shows test data for afiberglass that may be used in an embodiment of the invention, showingan average flexural modulus test result of 4.67 ksi.

The lower the modulus of elasticity of the moment bar is, the moredampened the moments will be, which means sudden or momentary changes inthe angle between the vehicle and the trailer will translate less energythrough the weight distribution hitch. For example, if the wheels of atrailer hit a bump which raises the trailer, a traditional moment barwill resist allowing the trailer to move up relative to the vehicle, sothe rear of the vehicle will also be raised. With a more compliantmoment bar, the trailer will be allowed to raise up while the moment barbends with it, allowing the vehicle to remain level. This dampeningeffect is especially noticeable when the vehicle is pulling the trailerover a bumpy road. A compliant weight distribution hitch system allowsthe position of the vehicle to be less dependent on the trailer. Momentbars made from a modulus of elasticity less than 15,000 ksi provide asubstantial dampening effect over steel moment bars. In one embodimentof the invention, the moment bars have a modulus of elasticity of lessthan 14,000 ksi, which provides even better dampening.

Compliancy or flexibility may also be determined by the spring constant(k) of the moment bar, which is the relationship between the forceapplied to the end of the moment bar and vertical distance it moves dueto the force. The spring constant is dependent on the flexibility of thematerial and also the length. The shorter the bar is, the higher thespring constant will be because there is less material to flex. Forexample, a bar that is identical to another bar but is only one thirdthe length will have a spring constant nine times higher than the longerbar. The spring constant for a traditional moment bar made out of steelcan be over 700 lbs/inch per bar, or 1400 lbs/inch for a set of two.Even though, in some embodiments of the current invention, the momentbar is about one third the length of a traditional steel bar, the springconstant is less than 800 lbs/in. For a set of two compact moment barswith rearward ends that reach near the rear side of the jack, the springconstant is preferably less than 1000 lbs/in. Even more preferably, thespring constant is less than 900 lbs/in. Yet even more preferably, thespring constant is less than 800 lbs/in.

Another benefit of a compliant moment bar is that since the deflectionof a composite moment bar can be greater than a steel bar, it can remainloaded during most of or all driving conditions. In some cases, steelmoment bars may become unloaded while driving, most notably, when thevehicle goes over a hill. Each time the bars become unloaded andreloaded, the bars “cycle,” so to speak, which fatigues the bars.Compliant bars can be loaded to a greater deflection, which allows thevehicle to go over even the sharpest of hills without becoming unloadedand preventing cycling altogether.

Yet another benefit of the invention is the moment bars are a materialthat is compliant enough to allow the geometry (i.e., the angularrelationship between the vehicle and the trailer) to change withoutreducing the traction of the vehicle's rear wheels. When a vehicle ortrailer goes over a bump or the angle between the vehicle and thetrailer changes, an extreme moment can result on the vehicle. Becausetraditional steel moment bars are so stiff, a small change in geometrycan result in a substantial moment. For example, a deflection in the endof the moment bar of 1 inch can cause a moment of 3500 ft*lbs. See FIG.13 . Compare that to a deflection of 1 inch of a compliant moment bar,which may produce a moment of 620 ft*lbs. See FIG. 14 . See also FIGS. 5and 6 for a depiction of how even though the moment bar may not deflectrelative to the trailer frame to which it is braced, it is deflectingrelative to its unbraced position. If a vehicle with traditional momentbars drives through a dip or turns from a level road to an inclinedroad, the change in geometry will cause an extreme forward moment, whichwill lift the rear end of the vehicle. See FIG. 4 for an example of atruck turning up a hill, which causes the front of the truck to beextremely compressed and the rear of the truck to be lifted. In extremecases, the rear wheels can even be lifted off the ground causing thetruck to lose all traction from its rear wheels. This can be extremelydangerous. However, if this same vehicle had more compliant moment bars,the bars could produce a fraction of the increased moment, making theturn safer.

One material that has proved useful as a compliant moment bar isCorvette leaf spring fiberglass composite. Fiberglass reinforced polymerhas been used for leaf springs in Corvettes for decades, which decreasesweight of the vehicle while maintaining a smooth ride. U.S. Pat. No.3,968,958 discloses the benefits of using composites in leaf springs andmethods of fabrication and is hereby incorporated into this applicationin its entirety.

In the most preferred embodiment, a section of a Corvette leaf spring issimply cut to the desired length. Preferably, an endcap is placed at ornear the end of the moment bar to prevent point stresses that coulddamage a composite. The endcap may be metal or another material that canwithstand high point loads and spread the force out over a larger areaof the moment bar. In some embodiments, the end cap rests on a bracketor other tension member during use, and may be configured to slide toallow for changes in geometry. In other embodiments, the end cap latchesto the tension member.

Alternatively, compliance in the system may be achieved with a stiffermoment bar, such as steel, by using a spring to bias the moment bartoward the trailer frame member. In one embodiment of the invention, amoment bar connects to the tension member on one or more springs, asshown in FIGS. 11A and 11B. The spring allows the moment bar to have agreater range of deflection than a stiff moment bar would have byitself.

Alternatively, the tension member itself could be a spring, as shown inFIGS. 12A and 12B. In each case, the springs would create a similareffect as a compliant moment bar, creating a smoother, safer, and moreversatile connection than a traditional weight distribution hitch. In anembodiment of the invention using springs, the moment bar is flexible,which contributes to the overall compliancy of the system.

Alternatively, the tension member itself could be attached to thetrailer frame member through one or more springs, as shown in in FIGS.13A and 13B.

In another embodiment of the invention using springs, the moment bar isstiff, and the springs provide all the compliancy of the system. In thatembodiment, the preloading mechanism, such as a jack can be used topreload the system by lifting on the moment bar and causing a moment,which will tilt the angle of the vehicle, which will raise the rearwardend of the moment bar above the lifting surface of the tension member.

Compact Moment Bars

One benefit of the invention is the moment bars can be compact (i.e.,much shorter than traditional moment bars), which decreases the verticaldisplacement needed to load the bar. Or, alternatively, a shorter momentbar allows for a more compliant material, which can allow for a similarvertical displacement to load the bar as a steel bar but with the addedbenefits of moving the connection forward, using alternative materials,and the cost savings of having a shorter bar. Traditional moment barsare typically between 30 inches and 40 inches long. Preferably themoment bars are less than 28 inches in length and more preferably lessthan 24 inches in length. Still more preferably, the moment bars arebetween 6 inches and 20 inches long. Evan more preferably, the momentbars are between 8 inches and 15 inches long. Still even morepreferably, the moment bars are between 9 and 12 inches long.

Stated another way, the compact moment bar can be seen as the ratiobetween the length of the moment bar “L” and the height difference “H”between where the moment bar attaches to the attachment member and thepoint where the trailer couples to the hitch above it. Measured thisway, the ratio L/H is preferably between 2 and 6 and even morepreferably between 3 and 5.

Shortening the moment bar also moves the rearward end closer to where ajack sits on a traditional trailer frame. One embodiment of the currentinvention allows the jack or another tensioning device to help deflect amoment bar. It may assist during setup to load the moment bar so it canbe latched or otherwise supported by the trailer frame in a loadedstate. Alternatively, it may hold the rearward end of the moment barduring operation. That configuration allows the system to work withoutadditional brackets, latches, or chains to apply the moment duringoperation.

An additional benefit to shortening the moment bar so that the rear endof it is disposed near the jack is that the bracket for holding themoment bar during operation can be mounted to the area where the jack ismounted. Changing the configuration of a weight distribution system canbe difficult in terms of mounting brackets. The frame of a trailer holdsother items, such as propane tanks, batteries, and storage boxes, etc.However, most trailer frames have a standard place for a jack to mount.In one embodiment of the invention, the bracket, swing latch, or otherholding device for the moment bars is attached to the frame near thelocation of the jack. Additionally, it may use the same bolt holes thatare preconfigured for standard jacks. In one embodiment of theinvention, a yolk for the holding mechanism wraps over the frame at thelocation of the jack, and the jack is mounted to the top of the yolk.

Further, longer moment bars can take much longer to set up and require amore hazardous process. In some cases, the user has to apply a strongforce to the moment bar with a lever in order to place it in the holdingbracket. The user has to do this for each side, which usually involvesstepping over the hitch multiple times or walking around the front ofthe vehicle multiple times. Shorter moment bars mean the rearward endsof the bars are closer to the front of the trailer frame and can bereached by a user standing on a single side. Preferably, the user canattach the moment bars to the trailer with a single step. One advantageof the present invention is that rather than setting the moment barseach time, a user needs only to engage them. There is no setup.

One embodiment of the invention uses a releasable tension member, whichmay be a bracket, latch, or chain to hold the moment bar or bars up oncethey are lifted. The jack may be used to lift the moment bars to a pointwhere the latch or bracket can mate with them in a preloaded condition,so a user does not have to do it manually.

In one embodiment, the releasable tension member is a swing latch (FIGS.8 and 9 ), allowing the user to latch the moment bar with a singlemotion. A user may be able to engage the system by simply preloading themoment bars with a jack and then swinging the latch into position. Theswing latch may be mounted to the trailer frame at a point near therearward end of the moment bar. In one embodiment of the invention, theswing latch comprises a saddle that rests on the trailer frame. Theswing latch may reach down from the saddle with bars that have a pivotallowing the one or more bars to “swing” forward and back. In oneembodiment of the invention, the saddle has mounting holes whichcoincide with a standard jack mount. The bottom of the swing latch maycomprise a bearing surface for the moment bars to rest on. In anotherembodiment of the invention, the swing latch comprises multiple levelsof bearing surfaces to allow the moment bars to be held at differentheights, causing different moments. In other embodiments of theinvention, where the system is configured to not need adjustment, or tobe adjusted by other means, the swing latch has a single bearingsurface. Also, the swing latch may have a handle for the user toconveniently hold while engaging the swing latch. Preferably, the swinglatch holds the rearward end of the moment bar near the rearward side ofthe jack, which is to say less than twelve inches rearward of the jack.Even more preferably, the swing latch holds the rearward end of themoment bar less than six inches from the rearward side of the jack.

Another benefit of having a compact moment bar, in combination withcompliant materials, is that because compliant materials flex more, theshorter distance allows the bars to be preloaded in less vertical space.The reduced length and reduced spring rate work together. A compact barmade from steel may provide too high of a spring rate or too small of anadjustment zone to be effective. A compliant bar at the traditionallength may provide too much flex, or it may need to be extremely thickto translate enough moment to the hitch. The reduced length and reducedspring rate work together to provide a moment bar that fits in a smallerspace, is easier to engage, and provides all the benefits mentionedabove.

The Coupler

In one embodiment of the invention, the hinged moment bar connection mayalso serve as sway control for the trailer. Rather than rotating freely,the hinged connection may be resistive to being rotated, for example bypromoting friction between the moment bar and the ball mount. Steel onsteel is ideal in some applications of the invention because of itsavailability and high coefficient of friction, but it comes with thedrawback of corroding. Passive materials, which are less corrosive, suchas brass, bronze, brake pad materials, and stainless steel, also may beused. Many of those materials, however, have less friction than steel.One embodiment of the invention includes replaceable wear plates, whichallow a user to replace them if they become too worn. Alternatively, oneor more springs are incorporated into the design to bias the moment barto the neutral position (i.e., extending straight back from the ballmount). In this way, the moment arm can pivot, but that pivoting isresisted and the moment arm is biased back to the neutral position.Incorporating a resistance into the pivoting of the moment arm can helpkeep the trailer from swaying from side to side as the resistanceinhibits the lateral movement of the trailer.

However, one of the problems with some existing weight distributionhitches is the complexity of the connection between the moment bars andthe attachment member and storage of the moment bars. In many cases, themoment bars are attached to the vehicle with a pin or a series of pinsthat takes time to connect and disconnect. Because of this, many usersstore the moment bars on the hitch even when the trailer is notconnected, which creates a tripping hazard. What is needed is aconnection that allows the moment bar or bars to be easily connected anddisconnected from the attachment member.

In one embodiment of the invention, a barrel coupling comprising nestingcylinders provides a simple connection between the hitch and the momentbars. In one embodiment, a hitch head has an outer cylinder protrudingdownward below the hitch ball. The connection for the moment barscomprise an inner cylinder which is inserted into the outer cylinderproviding a connection which pivots about a single axis, typically thez-axis, and can translate a moment from the moment bars to the hitchhead, as depicted in FIG. 6 . In an embodiment of the invention, theouter cylinder comprises a horizontal groove on its inner surfaceallowing a spring clip on the inner cylinder to hold the inner cylinderinside the outer cylinder without falling out. In other embodiments, thegroove is on the inner cylinder and a mating clip is on the outercylinder.

The connection between the inner and outer cylinders can provide notonly a moment inducing connection, but a sliding friction which mayassist with sway control for the trailer. The materials and the gapbetween the cylinders may be varied per the needs of the system.

The size of the mating surface between the inner cylinder and the outercylinder also affects the amount of friction in the barrel coupling andthus sway control. Preferably, the inner cylinder has a diameter of atleast 2 inches. Even more preferably, the inner cylinder has a diameterof at least 2.5 inches. Yet even more preferably, the inner cylinder hasa diameter of at least 3 inches. Concerning depth, the inner and outercylinders preferably have a mating surface that is at least 1.5 tall.More preferably, the inner and outer cylinders have a mating surfacethat is at least 2 inches tall. Yet even more preferably, the inner andouter cylinders have a mating surface that is at least 2.5 inches tall.

Various materials provide different benefits for the sliding surfacebetween the inner and outer cylinders. In one embodiment of theinvention, both surfaces are made from steel, which is inexpensive toproduce, long lasting, and also provides a higher amount of frictionthan many other metals. In another embodiment, a liner may be applied toone of the surfaces, which may be permanent or replaceable, whichprovides more or less friction. In a preferred embodiment of theinvention, the liner is bronze. In another embodiment, the liner is madefrom brake pad material. In another embodiment, for an applicationrequiring less friction, the liner is oil impregnated bronze. In otherembodiments, the surfaces of the inner and outer cylinders are made fromother metals or hard substances.

Another benefit of the present invention is that a single hitch cancomprise multiple ball sizes and also be used for weight distribution.This makes it much cheaper and easier for users to pull multipletrailers that require different sizes of balls and that may or may notuse weight distribution. With other hitch systems, the user may havedifferent sizes of balls, or they may have weight distribution, but notboth.

One embodiment of the present invention includes a dual coupler ball,which may be inserted through the barrel coupler previously mentionedsuch that one ball extends above the barrel coupler and the other ballis hidden inside the cylinder, as depicted in FIG. 6 . In thisembodiment, the cylinder on the moment bar may also be hollow so it doesnot interfere with the hidden ball. The dual coupler ball may be held inplace with a removable pin that extends through the side of the hitch.

The rearward end of the moment bar is configured to receive an upwardforce. Because the forward end is fixed about the lateral axis, theupward force on the rearward end creates a moment on the attachmentmember. In most embodiments, it is preferred to impart a preload to themoment bar. In one embodiment of the invention, the upward force on therearward end of the moment bar (i.e., the preload) is created by alifting mechanism which is secured to the frame of the trailer. In thepreferred embodiment, the lifting mechanism is a jack which has abearing surface disposed near the bottom of a shaft that extends fromthe trailer frame at least as far as the moment bar. One benefit ofusing a jack is that it may also be used as a support for the trailer.In one embodiment of the invention, the jack is capable of being loadedin both tension and compression: tension while it is lifting orpreloading the moment bar; and compression while it is supporting thetrailer.

The invention also preferably includes a bearing surface on the liftingmechanism designed to allow it to lift the moment bar. In one embodimentof the invention, a jack has a bearing plate or pegs fixed to the shaftat a location at least as low as the bottom of the moment bar. In otherembodiments, the bearing surface is spherical or another shape. Thebearing plate may attach to the outer circumference of the shaft of ajack and surround the shaft, or it may attach to one side. In thepreferred embodiment, the bearing surface of that plate is convex, whichallows it to avoid point forces on the moment. In one embodiment of theinvention, the moment bar has a concave surface to better mate with theconvex surface of the jack.

In one embodiment of the invention, when a single moment bar is beingused rather the traditional pair, the moment bar preferably alsocontains an aperture allowing it to go around the shaft of the jack or aportion of the jack or other lifting mechanism. This allows the bearingsurface of the moment bar to surround the jack. This has many benefits.First, it allows the tension in the shaft of the jack to be axial ratherthan eccentric as it would if the bearing surface was only on one sideof the jack. It also locks the moment bar onto the jack which allows itto be stored on the trailer rather than the vehicle. It also preventstheft. In one embodiment of the invention, the aperture is oval or anelongated slot. This gives the moment bar more movement respective tothe jack than with a circular aperture, which helps a user manipulatethe moment bar into and out of its installed position in the attachmentmember.

Although compliant moment bars provide a larger range of use than steelbars, there may be uses of the invention where different sized momentbars may be necessary. In one embodiment of the invention, theattachment member is configured to receive different sizes of momentbars, wherein larger moment bars will produce a larger moment. Inanother embodiment of the invention, the attachment member is configuredto tilt, which projects the moment bar at different angles allowing fordifferent values. In this case, tilting the moment bar down from theattachment member will produce a greater moment, and tilting the momentbar up will produce a lesser moment. In yet another embodiment of theinvention, shims may be used to change the angle of the moment bar. Theshims may be used in the connection between the moment bar and theattachment member. One version of this uses different sized shimsconfigured for different loads. Another version uses multiple stackingshims to produce a different angle for different loads.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, larger or smaller momentsare created with a curved or bent moment bar, as shown in FIG. 10 . Themoment bar may be reversible such that it is configured to provide onerange of moments in one position and a different range of moments byflipping the moment bar over about its longitudinal axis. In yet anotherembodiment of the invention, the moment bar is curved or bentasymmetrically. This allows two different ranges of moment by flippingit over about its longitudinal axis and another two different ranges ofmoment by flipping it about its vertical axis for a total of fourdifferent ranges of moment. In this case, both ends of the moment barmay be similarly configured to mate with the attachment member in thesame place.

The additional load from the lifting mechanism can be measured in manydifferent places. It may be measured within a trailer jack, the trailercoupler, or on the hitch, as disclosed in patent number U.S. Pat. No.7,960,659 B2, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.It may also be measured within the ball of the hitch as disclosed in USPatent Publication No. 2006/0290102, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety. The following patents are also hereby eachincorporated by reference in their entireties: U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,290,185,9,956,965, 10,142,798, 10,214,222, 10,274,360, 10,543,846, and10,544,725. The following US Published Patent Applications are also eachhereby incorporated by reference in their entireties: US 2018/0215358,US 2018/0111619, US 2019/0152468, US 2019/0178701, US 2019/02022251, andUS 2019/021418.

Now referring to FIG. 1 , which shows an embodiment of a swing latch asa tension mechanism. A jack 101 with a jack foot 102 comprising liftingpegs 103 is mounted to trailer frame 104. An attachment member 105provides a ball coupling 106 attachment for the trailer and also amoment bar coupling 107. Compliant moment bars 108 extend from themoment bar coupling 107 out over the jack foot pegs 103. A swing latch109 comprises a hinge 110, a handle 111, and a saddle 112 for attachingto the trailer frame 104. FIG. 1A depicts a first angular positionwherein the swing latch 109 is disengaged and the compliant moment bars108 and jack 101 are in a neutral position. FIG. 1B depicts a secondposition wherein the swing latch 109 is disengaged and the lifting pegs104 are lifting the compliant moment bars 108 to a preloaded position.FIG. 1C depicts a third position wherein the swing latch 109 is in asecond angular position and is engaged, the compliant moment bars 108are held by the swing latch 109, and the jack 101 has returned to aneutral position.

Now referring to FIG. 2 , which shows an embodiment of swing latch as atension mechanism. A trailer frame 201 has a jack 202 mounted to it, thejack 202 comprising a jack foot 203. A swing latch 204 comprises asaddle 205 for mounting to the top of the frame, a hinge 206, a handle207, and a holding bar 208 for holding compliant moment bars 209 in anoperating condition.

Now referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, which depict a prior art weightdistribution hitch and show the difference in deflection needed for avehicle on flat ground vs a vehicle on a bend. A truck 301 is attachedto a trailer 302 with a weight distribution hitch 303. Moment bars 304have an undeflected position 305. The moment bars are being lifted bychains 306, which are mounted to the trailer with brackets 307. FIG. 3Ashows that the distance between the undeflected position and thedeflected position is equal to h when on level ground. FIG. 3B showsthat the difference between the undeflected position and the deflectedposition is h+y when on unlevel ground. In this case, y is equal to theadditional flex needed by the moment bars so the truck remains parallelto the ground. The distance y can be compared to the graphs in FIGS. 14and 15 to see the extra moment caused by that deflection.

Now referring to FIG. 4 , a vehicle 401 is depicted turning up aninclined road 402 while pulling a trailer 403. In this scenario, themoment bars 404, which are stiff, are preventing the truck from anglingup the road. This causes the front of the truck to be forced downward asshown by a reduced space above the front tires 405 and a greater spaceabove the rear tires 406, which causes the rear wheels to lose traction.If the angle of the road is great enough, the rear end of the truck caneven be lifted off the ground.

Now referring to FIG. 5 , which shows one embodiment of the inventionusing an electric jack as a lifting mechanism. A weight distributionsystem 501 couples a vehicle 502 to a trailer 503. The system comprisesa hitch receiver 504 connected to the underside of the vehicle 502.Extending rearwardly from the hitch receiver 504 is a shank 505, a ballmount 506, and a ball which is partially hidden under the coupler of thetrailer 507. The hitch receiver, 504, shank 505, ball mount 506, andball are all connected to the vehicle. On the trailer side of the systemare a coupler 507, a frame 508, and a jack 509. The jack also contains afoot 510. A moment bar 511 may be a part of the truck side of the systemor the trailer side of the system depending on user or manufacturerpreference. The jack has at least two positions, an up position and adown position. While the foot is down, the jack supports the weight ofthe trailer and its shaft is in compression. While it is up, the footabuts the underside of the moment bar 510 and the shaft is in tensionbetween the moment bar 511 and the frame 508. The jack also has usercontrols 512, which typically includes a switch or buttons to move thejack between position one and position two, or to an intermediateposition. That jack may be configured to weigh the load on the jack,either in compression, in tension, or both, and display the load on aload indicator 513. It may also communicate the load to a controller,such as a phone.

As depicted in FIG. 5 , when the invention is in use to distribute theload forward on the vehicle, an upward force 514 increases the tongueweight 515 and imposes a moment 516 on the ball mount 506, whichtranslates through the vehicle 102, adding a downward force to the fronttires and an upward force to the rear tires, balancing the vehicle.

Now referring to FIG. 6 , which shows one embodiment of a barrelcoupling, which is one example of an attachment member. A dual sizedball 601 fits within a hitch head 602 and is pinned with a pin 603. Thehitch head mounts to an adjustable shank 604. A moment bar coupler 605has openings (not shown) to receive moment bars. The moment bar coupler605 has a barrel insert 606 which slides into the barrel opening 607, toprovide a connection that can rotate about a vertical axis but alsotranslate a moment from the moment bars to the hitch head 602. A groove608 in the barrel insert allows a clip (not shown) inside the hitch head602 to hold the two pieces together.

Now referring to FIGS. 7A-E, which show additional views of the momentbar coupler 605. Two openings 701 are configured to receive moment bars(not shown). Holes 702 allow the moment bars to be fixed inside thehole, either with a set screw, a bolt, or other fastener.

Now referring to FIG. 8 , which shows another embodiment of theinvention that includes a bearing plate on the jack. A jack 801 ismounted to the frame of a trailer 802. The jack includes a hand crank803 to raise and lower the shaft 804. A foot 805 caps the bottom of theshaft 804 and gives a jack a stable bearing surface for the ground. Abearing plate 806 is attached to the shaft further up from the foot. Insome embodiments of the invention, the bearing surface is flat, however,the depicted embodiment shows a convex surface. When the jack is intension between the frame 802 and the moment bar 807, the convex shapeof the bearing plate allows the abutting surfaces to roll slightly whenthe vehicle goes over bumps, rather than creating extreme point loadsthat an edge of a flat plate would create when the two surfaces are notparallel.

FIG. 8 also illustrates the way the moment bar 807 is locked onto thejack 801. In this configuration, the moment bar may be stored on thetrailer with less risk of theft. This is also beneficial to users whowould rather not have a moment bar or bars attached to their vehicles.However, other embodiments of the invention use moment bars that areeasily removable from the jack, such as an open-ended bar that resemblesa tuning fork.

Now referring to FIG. 9 , which illustrates one embodiment of the waythe invention may attach to a ball mount and an alternativeconfiguration to abut the preload mechanism. A hitch shank 901 is pinnedto a ball mount 902 through a series of holes allowing the attachment tobe adjustable. The upper end of the ball mount is attached to a ball 903for coupling to a trailer, whereas the lower end of the ball mountincludes a socket 904 designed to receive a moment bar 905. In thisconfiguration, the socket 904 pivots about a central pin 911. In otherconfigurations the socket does not rotate, but the moment bar rotateswithin the socket. The socket 904 includes an upper bearing surface anda lower bearing surface which translate the moment from the moment bar905 to the ball mount 902. They also may provide friction to assist withsway control for the trailer. The upper bearing surface and lowerbearing surface may be made of steel, for ease of manufacturing andcost, but they may also be made of other materials in order to providedifferent properties for the connection, such as rust prevention andfriction. A pin 909 keeps the moment bar 905 from slipping out of thesocket 904.

In the embodiment of FIG. 9 , the moment bar 905 has two prongs 906which abut a bearing surface on the jack 907. In the depictedembodiment, the bearing surface is provided by pegs, however, it mayalso be another shape such as the bearing plate of FIG. 2 , D-rings, orother.

Now referring to FIG. 10 , which is an embodiment of the invention usinga reversible moment bar. A moment bar 1001 is connected to a hitch head1002 via a coupling 1003. The moment bar has a first end A and a secondend B. The moment bar 1001 has a first major face C and a second majorface D. The moment bar 1001 has a bend in it slightly off its centerpoint which allows a different preloaded moment depending on itsorientation, although in other embodiments, the moment bar has a bend atits centerline. The bend is shown at a single location for clarity, buta bend can also be continuous throughout the bar. The four graphics showthe four different orientations, each causing a different preloadadjustment. FIG. 10A shows the first major face C facing generallyupward and the first end A is attached to the coupling 1003. FIG. 10Bshows the first major face C facing generally downward and the first endA attached to the coupling 1003. FIG. 10C. shows the first major face Cfacing generally upward and the second end B is attached to the coupling1003. FIG. 10D. shows the first major face C facing generally downwardand the second end B is attached to the coupling 1003. Each orientationhas a different starting height, which requires a different displacementfor engagement with the holding bracket, which produces a differentmoment on the system. Alternatively, the moment bar may be symmetricalabout the centerline of its longitudinal axis, allowing two differentconfigurations rather than four.

Now referring to FIGS. 11A and 11B, which show an embodiment of theinvention using springs to provide compliancy, or flex, to the system. Ahitch head 1101 is mounted to a trailer frame 1102 and a moment bar1103. A spring 1104 is supported by a bracket 1105, which is mounted tothe trailer frame 1102. The moment bar 1103 is lifted on its rearwardend by the spring 1104. FIG. 11A depicts normal operating conditionswhen the vehicle and trailer are on level ground. FIG. 11B depicts acondition where the vehicle is on uneven ground (i.e., the vehicle ispointed upward compared to the trailer) and the spring 1104 providesextra compliancy needed to protect the vehicle from an exaggeratedmoment.

Now referring to FIGS. 12A and 12B, which show an embodiment of theinvention using springs to provide compliancy, or flex, to the system. Ahitch head 1201 is mounted to a trailer frame 1202 and a moment bar1203. A spring-bracket 1204 connects the moment bar 1203 to the frame1202. The moment bar 1203 is lifted on its rearward end by thespring-bracket 1204. FIG. 12A depicts normal operating conditions whenthe vehicle and trailer are on level ground. FIG. 12B depicts acondition where the vehicle is on uneven ground (i.e., the vehicle ispointed upward compared to the trailer) and the spring-bracket 1204provides extra compliancy needed to protect the vehicle from anexaggerated moment.

Now referring to FIGS. 13A and 13B, which show an embodiment of theinvention using springs to provide compliancy, or flex, to the system. Ahitch head 1301 is mounted to a trailer frame 1302 and a moment bar1303. A spring 1304 is supported by a bracket 1305, which is mounted tothe trailer frame 1302. The moment bar 1303 is lifted on its rearwardend by the bracket 1305, which is suspended by spring 1304. FIG. 13Adepicts normal operating conditions when the vehicle and trailer are onlevel ground. FIG. 13B depicts a condition where the vehicle is onuneven ground (i.e., the vehicle is pointed upward compared to thetrailer) and the spring 1304 provides extra compliancy needed to protectthe vehicle from an exaggerated moment.

Now referring to FIG. 14 , which is a graph showing the relationshipbetween an applied deflection of a system of two moment bars and theresulting force on the moment bars and moment on the system. The graphin FIG. 14 represents a traditional steel moment bar designed for a 1000lb tongue weight, which is 30 inches long and has a spring constant of1400 lbs/in.

Now referring to FIG. 15 , which is a graph showing the relationshipbetween an applied deflection of a system of two moment bars and theresulting force on the moment bars and moment on the system. The graphin FIG. 15 represents a compliant moment bar designed for a 1000 lbtongue weight, which is 10 inches long and has a spring constant of 745lbs/in.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show how non-flat driving surfaces affect conventionalweight distribution hitches compared to the disclosed hitches. The samedegree of deflection causes much more force to be applied to theconventional moment bar than the disclosed moment bars. This makes thesystem more robust in response to changes in road level and helps keepthe weight distribution in an acceptable range rather than allowingexcess weight on either end of the tow vehicle.

Now referring to FIG. 16 , which is a graph showing a comparison inmoments produced by a vehicle going over a hill with a traditionalweight distribution system and a system with compliant moment bars. Withthe compliant bar, the amplitude of the change in moment issignificantly reduced compared to a traditional moment bar.

In both examples, the deflection of the system is the same, but theforce applied to the system with a compliant moment bar according to thepresent disclosure applies less force to the weight distribution hitchsystem than required for a conventional system. One advantage of this isthat less stress is placed on the system to maintain proper weightdistribution. Another advantage is that the system has a greater rangeof deflection in which an acceptable weight distribution is achievedmaking it easier to properly adjust the system.

A conventional weight distribution hitch may need to be adjusted towithin a range of about 1/16 inches. If such a system is moved out ofthis range by road conditions (e.g., rises, dips, parking lot entrances,speed bumps, etc.) the load distribution may become incorrect, shiftingit too much toward one end or the other of the tow vehicle. A weightdistribution system according to the present disclosure can increase theacceptable range while also reducing how much the system moves inresponse to uneven driving surfaces.

Now referring to FIGS. 17 and 18 , which depict a vehicle crossing arise and a dip, respectively. When the tow vehicle and trailer are at anangle of less than 180°, as shown in FIG. 17 , the moment bar tends tolift the rear of the tow vehicle upward more than desired. When theangle between the tow vehicle and the trailer is greater than 180°, asshown in FIG. 18 , the moment bar tends pull down too much on the rearof the vehicle. In either situation, the load balance is disrupted andthe stress on the hitch system may be increased to the point that one ormore systems components fail.

Now referring to FIG. 19 , which is a graph showing a comparison inmoments produced by a vehicle going over a bumpy road with a traditionalweight distribution system and a system with compliant moment bars. Withthe compliant moment bar, the amplitude of the change in moment isreduced compared to a conventional moment bar. Because the amplitude ofthe initial change is reduced, the advantage due to the properties ofcomposite material is two-fold: the amplitude of the initial change isreduced, and the settling time, or time it takes the system to return tonormal after the disruption is reduced.

Now referring to FIG. 20 , which shows various embodiments of a swinglatch. A trailer frame 2001 has a jack 2002 mounted to it, the jackcomprising a jack foot 2003. A swing latch 2004 comprises a saddle 2005for mounting to the top of the frame, a hinge 2006, a handle 2007, andholding bars 2008 for holding moment bars (not shown) in an operatingcondition. FIGS. 20A-20C show different variations for swing latchesutilizing multiple holding bars, i.e., 20A depicts a single bar, 20Bdepicts a dual level option, and 20C depicts a three-level option. Inthe multi-bar options, the higher bearing bars will impose a highermoment on the vehicle than the lower bearing bars.

All patents, published patent applications, and other publicationsreferred to herein are incorporated herein by reference. The inventionhas been described with reference to various specific and preferredembodiments and techniques. Nevertheless, it is understood that manyvariations and modifications may be made while remaining within thespirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A weight distribution hitch system comprising: avehicle attachment member comprising: a forward end configured torigidly attach to a vehicle, and a rearward end extending rearwardlytoward a trailer, the rearward end comprising: an upper portioncomprising a trailer attachment member configured to pivotally attach toa coupler of the trailer, and a lower portion configured to receive amoment bar; a moment bar having a modulus of elasticity, the moment barcomprising: a moment bar forward end attached to the lower portion ofthe rearward end of the vehicle attachment member so as to preventrotation about a horizontal axis, and a moment bar rearward end; areleasable tension member comprising: a top portion configured to bepivotally supported by a frame member of the trailer and configured topivot about a horizontal axis, and a bottom portion configured tosupport the rearward end of the moment bar; and a moment bar preloadmechanism configured to push up the moment bar rearward end to therebypreload the moment bar; wherein, when the moment bar rearward end hasbeen preloaded, the releasable tension member can be pivoted between afirst angular position and a second angular position below the preloadedmoment bar; wherein, when the tension member is in tension, it imposesan upward force on the moment bar rearward end, which, in turn, imposesa forward moment on the vehicle.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein thebottom portion of the releasable tension member comprises a first and asecond support bar for engaging and supporting the rearward end of themoment bar, and wherein the first bar is above the second bar, wherebywhen the rearward end of the moment bar is supported by the first bar,the moment bar has more preload than when the rearward end of the momentbar is supported by the second bar.
 3. The system of claim 1, whereinthe trailer includes a jack with a foot for resting on the ground andfor raising and lowing a front end of the trailer, and wherein themoment bar preload mechanism comprises an arm fixed to the jack, whicharm engages a bottom surface of the moment arm to thereby preload themoment arm as the arm is moved upward by the jack.
 4. The system ofclaim 3 wherein the foot of the jack comprises the moment bar preloadmechanism.
 5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second momentarm, similar to and laterally spaced from the moment arm.
 6. The systemof claim 1, wherein the moment arm is made from a fiber-reinforcedpolymer composite.
 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the tension memberis not adjustable.
 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the moment barconnects to the lower portion of the attachment member via a barrelcoupling comprising an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, whereby themovement bar is prevented from pivoting in a generally vertical plane.9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a metal endcap to protectthe moment bar from high point stresses, the metal endcap comprising aforward end and a rearward end, the forward end configured to receiveand fix to the moment bar and the rearward end configured to abut thetension mechanism such that the upward force from the tension mechanismtranslates to the moment bar.
 10. The system of claim 4 furthercomprising a saddle mounted to the trailer frame at the location of thejack.
 11. The system of claim 10 wherein the saddle comprises bolt holesconfigured to coincide with a standard jack mount.
 12. The system ofclaim 1 wherein the modulus of elasticity of the moment bar is between10,000 ksi and 15,000 ksi.
 13. The system of claim 1 wherein the modulusof elasticity of the moment bar is between 14,000 ksi and 85,000 ksi.14. The system of claim 1 wherein the spring constant of the moment baris less than 1,000 lbs/inch.
 15. The system of claim 1 wherein thespring constant of the moment bar is less than 900 lbs/inch.
 16. Thesystem of claim 1 wherein the spring constant of the moment bar is lessthan 800 lbs/inch.
 17. A method for attaching a trailer to a weightdistribution hitch comprising: connecting a vehicle and a trailer with apivotal connection; preloading a compliant moment bar having a modulusof elasticity less than 15,000 ksi with a tensioning device; andengaging the moment bar with a latch.
 18. The method of claim 14 furthercomprising the step of unloading the tensioning device.
 19. The methodof claim 14 wherein the tensioning device is a trailer jack.
 20. Themethod of claim 14 wherein the latch comprises a hinge configured toallow the latch to swing between a first angular position and a secondangular position.